The Oregon System of Distance Training
Scientific
Principles Overview The training principles and science described in the
early chapters of this book apply to all middle distance races. At the elite
level, an 800-meter race requires about 60 percent anaerobic endurance (to 40
percent aerobic), while the 1500 meters requires about a 50-50 mixture of
aerobic and anaerobic. However, as Jess Jarver notes, "While there appears to be
general agreement that aerobic and anaerobic endurance capacities play the most
important role in the training of middle distance runners, exactly how this can
be best achieved still remains
rather vague. This applies, in particular, to the best distribution of work to develop these capacities, as well as the limits of their trainability."
Two points are of particular interest. First, over the last two decades, international training theory has moved away from extreme high-mileage training, becoming closer to the Oregon System. Indeed, no principle of the Oregon System is inconsistent with the most advanced training in the world today.
Second, general agreement can be found that heavy training loads (even of aerobic training) should not be used with young athletes. Low-mileage aerobic training is the best focus for pre-college athletes, with some speed training, but limited training for anaerobic endurance. Early age-group training programs and serious competitions are not recommended. Instead, a middle school student should develop a moderate aerobic base and a basic level of general skills, with a moderate number of meets. High school students can become more specialized, using slightly more intensive training and more meets.
Jarver points out that "the majority of world-class middle distance runners have used very little planned training during their years of growth." Indeed, Russian researchers recommend that serious training for anaerobic endurance not begin before the age of 18.
rather vague. This applies, in particular, to the best distribution of work to develop these capacities, as well as the limits of their trainability."
Two points are of particular interest. First, over the last two decades, international training theory has moved away from extreme high-mileage training, becoming closer to the Oregon System. Indeed, no principle of the Oregon System is inconsistent with the most advanced training in the world today.
Second, general agreement can be found that heavy training loads (even of aerobic training) should not be used with young athletes. Low-mileage aerobic training is the best focus for pre-college athletes, with some speed training, but limited training for anaerobic endurance. Early age-group training programs and serious competitions are not recommended. Instead, a middle school student should develop a moderate aerobic base and a basic level of general skills, with a moderate number of meets. High school students can become more specialized, using slightly more intensive training and more meets.
Jarver points out that "the majority of world-class middle distance runners have used very little planned training during their years of growth." Indeed, Russian researchers recommend that serious training for anaerobic endurance not begin before the age of 18.
The Philosophy of Bowerman's Oregon System
The basic philosophy of the Oregon system is to seek the greatest improvement possible in the athlete while working for his benefit. This approach means that the good of the athlete is the first consideration, rather than the maximum use the school can get from his abilities. To help the athlete reach his potential, his training schedule is planned to improve his performances gradually over a period of time, aiming for peak performances at the time of the conference and national meets.
Until the late 1960s, fall and winter were not emphasized as competitive seasons, but used as part of this training cycle of gradual improvement. Cross country is used to give the runners a solid training background. Though some cross-country meets are entered, these few meets are more for the purpose of stimulating the runners and giving them something to look forward to than for actual competition. The indoor track season is also passed over, for the most part. One "home" meet is held in Portland each year, the Oregon Invitational, but except for that meet, few of the Oregon athletes have any official winter competition. Instead, they run against the clock in 3/4-effort trials every two or three weeks from early winter until just before the competitive season begins.
When spring arrives, Oregon competes almost every week against some of the best teams in the world, the Pacific 10 conference teams. A runner might not compete every week even during this season. A distance man will rarely compete in two events in a single meet. The reasons are simple: the athlete needs to be "hungry," anxious to compete, and a runner reaches his potential more surely (and is more likely to remain there for some time) if he does not go out every week feeling the need to "make up points" for his team. The coach may like to win as much as anyone, but the good of the runner must come first. An athlete who has to compete in two events regularly will usually be holding back in the first event and tired during the second. As a result, he will not be likely to reach his full potential in either event.
Foundation of the Oregon System
The Oregon training system had its genesis in the coaching theories of William H. Hayward, Oregon track coach from 1904 to 1947. "Colonel Bill"---a volunteer assistant coach and trainer for the U.S. Olympic Team at several Olympics and coach of several world record holders---stressed a program of gradual conditioning and a reasonable limit on the number of competitive races. The Oregon system of training has its roots in his four-and-a-half decades of service to the University and to American track and field.
Upon returning to the University as track coach in
1948, Bill Bowerman found a small track team and a "stable" of one distance
runner, junior Pete Mundle. At this time, Bill knew mostly the American theories
of distance training, so he had Pete conduct some library research to learn what
training methods seemed to offer the best possibilities for success. After some
study, Mundie wrote a term paper recommending that they try interval
training and fartlek, a method that was not too widely known or understood in
the United States at that time.
Pete then became the "guinea pig," and those experiments laid the groundwork from which the Oregon system of distance training grew. This research led to the discovery of the great value of fartlek to the training program and to further development of the "hard-easy" principle of training. Fortunately, some fine young distance runners chose to come to Oregon, and they in turn brought more good runners. For many years, this method was the primary means of recruiting runners.
Pete then became the "guinea pig," and those experiments laid the groundwork from which the Oregon system of distance training grew. This research led to the discovery of the great value of fartlek to the training program and to further development of the "hard-easy" principle of training. Fortunately, some fine young distance runners chose to come to Oregon, and they in turn brought more good runners. For many years, this method was the primary means of recruiting runners.
The basic system is a combination of interval
training and fartlek. It began with the written materials given to Pete Mundie
in the late 1940s, was combined with what was learned from coaches around the
world since then, and was synthesized through years of coaching practice into
the present system. We have found no better system for the athletes for whom it
was developed: college students between the ages of 17 and 24. Here the work
level is lower than that cited for many world-class athletes. Keep in mind,
however, that those athletes are often five or more years older than college
students and 10 years older than high school athletes.
The first major outside influence on the system was Gosta Holmer of Sweden, who used fartlek with his athletes. He also contributed a 10-day training pattern that was adapted into our first pattern of training. His writings and assistance were a great contribution to the system. Franz Stampfl provided the framework of interval training with a gradually quickening pace through the year, shown in his 1955 book. It was an attempt to put interval training into a system in which the level of training progressed scientifically. It was probably more widely circulated among English-speaking coaches than the work of interval training's major developer, Woldemar Gerschler of Germany. Bowerman also observed John Landy's training before the 1954 British Empire Games.
Mihaly Igloi's use of interval training, varying paces, and sets made considerable contributions also. Bowerman's first contact with his training methods was through a letter from the Dale Ranson, coach at the University of North Carolina. After Igloi's defection from Hungary following the 1956 Olympics, he and several of his runners spent some time in Chapel Hill, where they were observed by Coach Ranson. Later Oregon's Pete Mundie trained after graduation under Igloi in southern California, providing more information and insight into the methods of that fine, knowledgeable, but misunderstood coach.
Finally, but by no means least, much was learned from personal contacts with Arthur Lydiard of New Zealand. His insights into training opened up new areas of experimentation. His year-round training patterns were very interesting, as were a number of his practices, which were adapted and are now used in one form or another. Bowerman also received useful ideas from many fine American coaches.
The first major outside influence on the system was Gosta Holmer of Sweden, who used fartlek with his athletes. He also contributed a 10-day training pattern that was adapted into our first pattern of training. His writings and assistance were a great contribution to the system. Franz Stampfl provided the framework of interval training with a gradually quickening pace through the year, shown in his 1955 book. It was an attempt to put interval training into a system in which the level of training progressed scientifically. It was probably more widely circulated among English-speaking coaches than the work of interval training's major developer, Woldemar Gerschler of Germany. Bowerman also observed John Landy's training before the 1954 British Empire Games.
Mihaly Igloi's use of interval training, varying paces, and sets made considerable contributions also. Bowerman's first contact with his training methods was through a letter from the Dale Ranson, coach at the University of North Carolina. After Igloi's defection from Hungary following the 1956 Olympics, he and several of his runners spent some time in Chapel Hill, where they were observed by Coach Ranson. Later Oregon's Pete Mundie trained after graduation under Igloi in southern California, providing more information and insight into the methods of that fine, knowledgeable, but misunderstood coach.
Finally, but by no means least, much was learned from personal contacts with Arthur Lydiard of New Zealand. His insights into training opened up new areas of experimentation. His year-round training patterns were very interesting, as were a number of his practices, which were adapted and are now used in one form or another. Bowerman also received useful ideas from many fine American coaches.
Basic Principles of Distance Training
The basic principles are simple. The first was expressed well by Lydiard: "Train, don't strain." The athlete should enjoy training. He should complete his workout feeling exhilarated, not exhausted, as Holmer suggested with fartlek training. Training must be fun, or else why do we train?
It is better for a runner to undertrain than to overtrain. Overtraining results in staleness, a loss of interest in practice and in competition. Staleness also results from competing too often, which interferes with the best performances and progress of athletes. An ideal situation for distance runners is competition every 10 to 14 days, occasionally every three weeks. It is difficult to understand how a team or a coach can accomplish much in the school season with two meets a week. When do they learn or teach?
To those coaches who prefer two or three meets a week and point to the summer European programs where American athletes have performed outstandingly, we emphasize that those distance runners are usually mature, experienced athletes, 25 years old or older. Furthermore, during that time all they do is compete, eat, and rest. The school athlete is not only competing; he is also getting an education, which should be the first concern. Education requires considerable study time and energy.
The Hard-Easy Training Approach
No athlete should compete before being properly conditioned. Competing too soon causes the athlete to risk injury because the body is not properly prepared for the stresses of competition. For that same reason, neither the coach nor the athlete should use meets as a means of conditioning.
The training pattern follows a hard-easy sequence, with each day of hard training being followed by a day of easy or light training, primarily jogging and light fartlek. The reason for this cycle is basic to all training: the body must have rest. Rest is always necessary for the body to recover and replenish itself. Furthermore, taking light days allows more work in the training sessions on the
hard days, giving greater progress in the long run. This cycle is basic, but it is not inflexible. Some runners are strong enough to take two hard days for every easy day; others can take only one hard day and then need two easy days.
Years ago, an experiment was conducted with the Oregon runners to see how long they could hold up under conditions of heavy training, with no recovery days. Most of the runners lasted no more than a week, including several who, after returning to the hard-easy cycle, later ran under 4:00 for the mile. Only one runner lasted two weeks: Bill Dellinger, then a 25-year-old graduate student and veteran of two Olympics. At the end of three weeks, even he could no longer take the unrelieved hard days.
We prefer to keep the runners short of their peak, not over the hill. Once an athlete has been properly conditioned and has a good background of training, it takes little extra work to bring him to a peak. However, an athlete cannot remain at a peak for very long. For that reason, we prefer to hold the athletes short of their peak and sharpen them at the end of the season for the most important meets. Many athletes are world-beaters in the early season but cannot make the finals in the national meets. We want to avoid such a situation.
Athletes work toward objectives and goals in their training. If they don't know where they are going, how will they get there? How will they know how close they are? The athletes and the coach set personal goals for the end of the year, then they gradually progress toward those goals through training sessions and test efforts run at the 3/4-effort level.
The athlete must also train to the competition. No athlete can train without taking account of the competitors. It involves training to reach the same level, or a better one, as the competitors and also includes training in tactics and their uses. One of the purposes of training is to improve the runners' strengths, so that their assets become greater assets, and to overcome their weaknesses, so that those handicaps are removed or minimized.
The athlete should continue with light exercise after hard training or competition. This process is sometimes called "cooling down." The reason is quite simple: during strenuous exercise, the body builds up lactic acid---a by-product of muscular activity---in the muscles. If the lactic acid is not removed from the muscles, it can result in cramping and possibly muscular injury. Easy jogging after heavy exercise keeps the blood circulating rapidly, gradually drawing the excess lactic acid from the muscles. For this reason, also, an easy trot on the morning after heavy exercise is beneficial to the body.
The morning run is now considered an essential of distance training. The practice is excellent, if the runner can handle it. It helps the athlete wake up in the morning and get the metabolic processes started for the day. It also encourages going to bed earlier. If the runner does not get the rest, however, it becomes a destructive process. A runner with heavy studies or involved in a romance should not try the morning run, nor should the coach force the attempt. The athlete is going through the biology of youth. It must be accommodated because it cannot be changed.
Compared to other world-class athletes, Oregon athletes do not train very hard. At one time, 100 or more miles a week was considered by many people to be necessary for success in distance running. We do not believe this, nor has experience proven it. Though Arthur Lydiard has been pointed to as the source for this magic mark, his training schedules call for that amount of training for only about 10 weeks of the year, while at other times they call for only 40 to 60 miles per week of training.
The top Oregon collegiate athletes run from 60 to 80 miles a week, averaging about 70 miles. None of them covers 100 miles a week except in rare circumstances, yet by 1973 over two dozen sub-4:00 milers were produced at Oregon by Bowerman. While mileage helps, it is by no means the only variable involved in training; certainly it is not the most important one. One Oregon runner ran a 4:01 mile on 20 miles a week.
Every athlete's training methods should be taken with a grain of salt, experimented with, and then adapted to the specific needs and abilities of the individual who wishes to use them. The coach must keep in mind that the student-athlete is supposed to be studying and that other things are important in life besides running.
The athletes should learn to maintain their appetite for running, not make it the most important thing in their lives. If athletes pass up other things in life, they will be isolating themselves, which is not good.
The age at which training should begin is simple to pick: the age at which the youngster wants to train. A four-year-old who likes to run is old enough to train (but not be trained). An 18-year-old who must be driven out to the track and flogged around it either is too young to train or has lost their appetite for it. The key is enjoyment: athletes should enjoy what they are doing; they should
not have to be forced into training.
Principles
and Physiology of Distance Running The major emphases are moderation,
consistency, and rest. The scientific foundations that underlie the system are
described in Chapter 4. However, a few points need to
be discussed in greater detail.
Of the physiological phenomena that are a measure of a person's ability to run a race of over 100 yards, one of the best indicators is oxygen debt and its related reactions. When a miler runs, he is burning internal fuels and using oxygen for the burning, just as a camper burns wood that consumes oxygen. If the lungs can supply enough oxygen to the fuel to carry the runner for a mile at a comfortable pace, there is no distress. If there is insufficient oxygen supplied to maintain the pace, or if the pace is too fast for the amount of oxygen supplied, the runner goes into oxygen debt.
Other related biochemical factors produce the same sort of inability to maintain pace. Producing carbon dioxide and related wastes in greater quantities than can be eliminated by the cardio-respiratory system interferes with oxygen exchange and contributes to oxygen debt, just as too much smoke in the chimney prevents good combustion in the stove.
Some coaches speak of fatigue tolerance or tolerance to oxygen debt. Is it a superior level of fitness that permits an athlete not only to turn in a world-record performance, but to do it repeatedly? We suspect that it is a combination of fitness, tolerance, the coach, and, of course, the runner's superior physical equipment.
be discussed in greater detail.
Of the physiological phenomena that are a measure of a person's ability to run a race of over 100 yards, one of the best indicators is oxygen debt and its related reactions. When a miler runs, he is burning internal fuels and using oxygen for the burning, just as a camper burns wood that consumes oxygen. If the lungs can supply enough oxygen to the fuel to carry the runner for a mile at a comfortable pace, there is no distress. If there is insufficient oxygen supplied to maintain the pace, or if the pace is too fast for the amount of oxygen supplied, the runner goes into oxygen debt.
Other related biochemical factors produce the same sort of inability to maintain pace. Producing carbon dioxide and related wastes in greater quantities than can be eliminated by the cardio-respiratory system interferes with oxygen exchange and contributes to oxygen debt, just as too much smoke in the chimney prevents good combustion in the stove.
Some coaches speak of fatigue tolerance or tolerance to oxygen debt. Is it a superior level of fitness that permits an athlete not only to turn in a world-record performance, but to do it repeatedly? We suspect that it is a combination of fitness, tolerance, the coach, and, of course, the runner's superior physical equipment.
Other Distance-Training Principles
We believe in weight training for runners. By "weight training," we do not mean developing Olympic weightlifters or spending hours weekly. We use a short list of exercises that concentrate on the upper body, the back, and the arms, all of which tend to be neglected by most runners. Strengthening those areas, particularly the back and the abdomen, assists in improving the posture, which in turn permits the body to take in more oxygen, permitting the athlete to run faster and farther. This approach is in line with today's strong emphasis on core strength.
Swimming is also beneficial to runners. It is good for relaxing and loosening tight muscles. It is very helpful for a runner with knee or ankle problems because the muscles can be exercised without irritating the joints. In fact, Scott Taylor, a varsity swimmer at Oregon, came out for the mile during his fifth year of school. At the end of the year, he ran a 4:05.2 mile, followed by a 1500-meter race at a faster pace. He later became an Olympic performer in the modern pentathlon.
The final principle might be better described as a practice. During their early season training, all the distance runners at Oregon practice the techniques of the steeplechase occasionally. Since few of them have ever encountered this event before coming to the university, it is a way of finding runners who show natural ability or interest in this event. Those athletes will continue to work on steeplechase activities. This work consists primarily of practicing clearance of the barriers, pace work over the barriers, and work on the water-jump-beginning with stepping onto and then over sections of logs. A number of good steeplechasers began on Oregon's Douglas firs.
Components of Running Ability
Three components are essential to successful racing over the middle distances. The first two are of equal importance, and the third is nice to have, but not absolutely necessary:
● Endurance
● Pace judgment
● Speed
A possible fourth essential was added by Emil Zatopek and Vladimir Kuts in the 1950s: varied-pace or aggressive tactics.
Endurance is needed to withstand the continued
stress of a distance race. Runners must develop the strength to endure before
becoming able to compete well. Endurance is not solely physical or
physiological; it is also a state of mind and a function of willpower. Champions
have not only greater physical endurance, but also greater mental endurance.
They can drive themselves closer to their true capacities before their minds
tell them to stop. Tolerance to stress requires much mental training along with
the physical training.
Pace judgment is extremely important. Most inexperienced runners begin their race at a very fast pace, slow down too much during the race, then try to sprint at the finish. That tactic is not only painful but also physiologically foolish. Physiologically, the easiest way to run a given time is at an even pace. The ability to run even pace, or any pace, requires training in pace judgment, not just endurance training. The world's best distance runners are all excellent judges of pace. It results from years of training and racing experience, and it is essential to success.
The third component of success is speed. Although it is not the most important factor, it is still very helpful. Obviously if all other factors and abilities are the same, the runner with the best speed will win. However, all other factors and abilities are rarely equal, and many tactical variations have been used to equalize the inequities among runners. Speed can be improved in runners in most instances. Where it can be improved, it should be improved.
Pace judgment is extremely important. Most inexperienced runners begin their race at a very fast pace, slow down too much during the race, then try to sprint at the finish. That tactic is not only painful but also physiologically foolish. Physiologically, the easiest way to run a given time is at an even pace. The ability to run even pace, or any pace, requires training in pace judgment, not just endurance training. The world's best distance runners are all excellent judges of pace. It results from years of training and racing experience, and it is essential to success.
The third component of success is speed. Although it is not the most important factor, it is still very helpful. Obviously if all other factors and abilities are the same, the runner with the best speed will win. However, all other factors and abilities are rarely equal, and many tactical variations have been used to equalize the inequities among runners. Speed can be improved in runners in most instances. Where it can be improved, it should be improved.
The tentative fourth essential is varied-pace or
aggressive tactics. This method involves shifting from one pace to another
during the race, throwing in a short sprint here or a quick extended surge
there, and attempting to hold a reasonably fast pace for the rest of the race.
It is a difficult type of race to run. It is physiologically much more difficult
than an evenly paced race. Also, the runner has the disadvantage of having
to lead the race, while hoping to "kill off" his opponents without exhausting
his own physiological resources. However, it is as psychologically exhausting on
the opponents as it is physically exhausting, for they never know when a fast
burst may be used or how long it will last; thus, they are unsure how to cope
with it.
Introducing the Runners to Training
Finding
Candidates
The best way to find your first candidates is by testing everyone in the physical education classes. Have every student run 800 meters, and record their times. An untrained young man who can run under 2:30, or a young woman who can run under 3:00 has enough natural speed and endurance to be considered a good prospect. Experience in high school and college over a period of years has proven this test to be a reliable indicator of inherent talent.
The best way to find your first candidates is by testing everyone in the physical education classes. Have every student run 800 meters, and record their times. An untrained young man who can run under 2:30, or a young woman who can run under 3:00 has enough natural speed and endurance to be considered a good prospect. Experience in high school and college over a period of years has proven this test to be a reliable indicator of inherent talent.
Most of the great middle-distance champions have
been of average or slightly over average height, slightly built, and with
well-defined (but not bulky) muscles. They generally have had
slower-than-average pulse rates. Longer-distance runners tend to be smaller.
However, notable exceptions to each of these characteristics have occurred.
Champions must be serious, with abundant energy and tenacity. They must be willing to endure grueling workout schedules, regardless of weather conditions, year after year. They must be eager to push themselves to the limit of their capacities, as well as eager to defeat their opponents. The two greatest characteristics of the champion have always been dedication and hard work.
Champions must be serious, with abundant energy and tenacity. They must be willing to endure grueling workout schedules, regardless of weather conditions, year after year. They must be eager to push themselves to the limit of their capacities, as well as eager to defeat their opponents. The two greatest characteristics of the champion have always been dedication and hard work.
Equipment The runner's equipment is almost as meager as the swimmer's, with one exception: the shoes. Every experienced runner should have three pairs of shoes, if possible. One is for wearing to and from the track and during roadwork, the second is for regular practice, and the last is for competition.
For practice sessions, a sturdy but comfortable shoe is essential. A four- spike model is a frequent choice. It must be comfortable and light because every ounce counts. If a pair of shoes weighs 4 ounces more than another pair of shoes, that extra 4 ounces amounts to the runner literally lifting 220 extra pounds in the course of a mile race (4 ounces x 880 strides). That energy can be more profitably spent running faster than in dragging an anchor.
For training clothes, lightweight materials that protect from the weather yet still "breathe" should be used. The running trunks and jersey should also be very light. Names or emblems can be silk-screened rather than sewn on, avoiding useless, weighty junk. The only necessary stripe across the chest is the one at the finish line.
Practice gear can be inexpensive. Cotton long johns can be substituted for spandex tights or sweatpants, not only for economy but also because they do not get clammy when wet and can be worn in competition during cold weather. Stocking caps are good protection against the cold, but a sweatshirt with a hood attached is probably more practical because the hood cannot be forgotten or lost. All of the training clothing should be kept clean, washed as often as possible.
Mechanics and Posture
We try to improve our runners' mechanics because they gain much from it. A champion can do the job with less effort than a non-champion. The reason is that his body has been trained to do that task more efficiently. We want to improve the mechanical efficiency of our runners so they can do the same amount of work with less effort. Thus, they will be able to devote the saved energy to running a faster race. The effort expended will be the same, but the time will be faster because the body works more efficiently, yielding greater output without requiring greater effort.
Good posture comes from good muscle tone. If the muscles of the stomach, the lower back, and the hips are well developed, they assist in maintaining an upright posture. Weight lifting and other exercises can help in this regard.
The best postural position for the middle distance runner is an upright one. A line from the ear straight down to the ground should show that the back is perpendicular to the ground during running. The widely accepted belief that the body needs to lean forward to run well is not true. Research by Dr. Donald Slocum' shows that such a belief is incorrect. Champion runners have an upright posture while striding at racing speed. This factor is true even for sprinters, once they have finished accelerating.
Photos 7-4 and 7-5 are side views of runners in an 800m run and a 200m dash. Times on this 800m lap varied from 51 to 53 seconds, so they are running at race pace. Notice that they are all running erectly, with little or no body lean, though there are some personal eccentricities of form. The upright posture is simply more efficient because when any body part is out of alignment, some muscles must strain to keep the body balanced, diverting part of the body's energies from the task of running a fast race. Notice that once acceleration ends, the sprinters are also upright.
In our work with runners, we try to point out the
mechanical advantages of this upright form. We have the runners practice their
form during fartlek and interval training, so it becomes part of their natural
technique. We try to remember that this "perfect" form has individual
variations. Very few runners can be termed "picture" runners, for most people
have some physical characteristics that require minor technical compensations.
Our research found that the pelvic position is the key to control of the runner's posture. The pelvis should be "tucked under," or brought forward in relation to the rest of the body. This positioning assists in straightening the spine, which helps maintain an upright posture. The chest is directly in line above the hips, keeping the back in a straight line perpendicular to the ground. The head is up, the chest is raised, and the arms are swung slightly across the chest. This basic running form permits easier use of the leg muscles and aids in taking air into the lungs. If the horizon seems to be moving up and down, the runner may be overstriding.
The arm carry and swing also affect the posture. We teach an angle of 60 to 90 degrees at the elbow as optimal, though an athlete with very muscular arms might need to use a more open angle. This angle contributes to running efficiency in three ways. First, it improves the circulation. The little bit of downward flow from hand to elbow makes the heart's job that much easier. Centrifugal force also needs to be considered. Like the water in the bucket swung at arm's length, centrifugal force will act to keep the blood from returning from the hands, if the arms are carried very low.
Our research found that the pelvic position is the key to control of the runner's posture. The pelvis should be "tucked under," or brought forward in relation to the rest of the body. This positioning assists in straightening the spine, which helps maintain an upright posture. The chest is directly in line above the hips, keeping the back in a straight line perpendicular to the ground. The head is up, the chest is raised, and the arms are swung slightly across the chest. This basic running form permits easier use of the leg muscles and aids in taking air into the lungs. If the horizon seems to be moving up and down, the runner may be overstriding.
The arm carry and swing also affect the posture. We teach an angle of 60 to 90 degrees at the elbow as optimal, though an athlete with very muscular arms might need to use a more open angle. This angle contributes to running efficiency in three ways. First, it improves the circulation. The little bit of downward flow from hand to elbow makes the heart's job that much easier. Centrifugal force also needs to be considered. Like the water in the bucket swung at arm's length, centrifugal force will act to keep the blood from returning from the hands, if the arms are carried very low.
Optimal arm angle also gives a mechanical
advantage. The lower the arms are carried, the longer the stride tends to be.
The longer the stride, the greater the energy output required to maintain the
pace and stride length. Because the arms and legs work in opposing pairs, we try
to develop a short, quick, economical stride by keeping the arms moving in a
shorter working radius.
Third, the arm swing contributes to the athlete's balance or imbalance. Exaggerated swinging of the arms must be compensated for by shifting the weight on the opposite side of the center of gravity or by expending more energy. A fresh runner can swing an arm way out of line and get away with it. However, coming down the home stretch, fatigued and tense, the runner may wander all over the track, or if too fatigued may even fall.
We recommend that runners use their arms in this manner: With an elbow bend of 60 to 90 degrees, swing the hand in an arc from about the top of the hipbone to the breastbone in the center of the body, with the arms naturally alternating this movement. Swing the hand and arm from the shoulder; the elbow does not open and close. At times, the runner may want to rest or save the arms for the final drive by carrying them for a while. This motion is one where the hands remain about three to six inches apart and swing in a rhythmical tempo back and forth across the chest.
A quick, light stride is the most economical. It is most easily maintained when running upright rather than leaning forward. The leg swing should be as effortless as possible. The knee lift is moderately high, but no conscious effort is made to reach with the knee. The leg and foot are dropped directly under the body for the stride, and the leg is not fully extended in front of the body. A slightly short stride is the most efficient.
It is better to under-stride than to over-stride. The runner should watch an object on the horizon to see whether it appears to be moving up and down. If the object is bounding, then the runner is bouncing, lifting the body on every stride. He is probably over-striding, a very common fault, or at least running inefficiently.
The three ways to plant the foot while running are: heel to ball, flat-footed, and ball to heel. The ball-to-heel plant is basically running on the toes, as sprinters do, and is out of place in distance running. It is less efficient for a runner because it requires more energy and puts additional strain on the calf muscles. Most great runners use either the heel-to-ball or the flat-footed stride. Runners should experiment to see which is most comfortable for them. The flat style involves landing flat-footed and rocking forward; the heel-to-ball style lands in the area of the heel of the foot and rolls forward, pushing off with the toes.
Three of the items discussed (stride length, body mechanics, and body posture) are worth repeating. Stride length is important because it, combined with stride cadence and economy of energy, determines in part how soon the race will be finished. The "long, beautiful stride" is often a disadvantage because it acts as a brake when the foot lands ahead of the center of gravity.
Also, it requires more energy because it lifts and drops the body with every stride. Over-striding is the most common fault of high school distance runners. A short, economical, quick stride is better and more efficient.
Body mechanics are important because improper mechanics create a much greater energy drain. The body should be moved as efficiently as possible so the energy saved by good mechanics can be diverted to faster running. Posture is also critical to efficiency. If the mechanical and postural advantages are ignored, two advantages of the upright running posture remain:
● The body can take more air into the lungs because the upright trunk allows the lungs more space in the body cavity.
● The knees can be lifted higher, allowing the runner to swing the legs more freely and easily while running.
Third, the arm swing contributes to the athlete's balance or imbalance. Exaggerated swinging of the arms must be compensated for by shifting the weight on the opposite side of the center of gravity or by expending more energy. A fresh runner can swing an arm way out of line and get away with it. However, coming down the home stretch, fatigued and tense, the runner may wander all over the track, or if too fatigued may even fall.
We recommend that runners use their arms in this manner: With an elbow bend of 60 to 90 degrees, swing the hand in an arc from about the top of the hipbone to the breastbone in the center of the body, with the arms naturally alternating this movement. Swing the hand and arm from the shoulder; the elbow does not open and close. At times, the runner may want to rest or save the arms for the final drive by carrying them for a while. This motion is one where the hands remain about three to six inches apart and swing in a rhythmical tempo back and forth across the chest.
A quick, light stride is the most economical. It is most easily maintained when running upright rather than leaning forward. The leg swing should be as effortless as possible. The knee lift is moderately high, but no conscious effort is made to reach with the knee. The leg and foot are dropped directly under the body for the stride, and the leg is not fully extended in front of the body. A slightly short stride is the most efficient.
It is better to under-stride than to over-stride. The runner should watch an object on the horizon to see whether it appears to be moving up and down. If the object is bounding, then the runner is bouncing, lifting the body on every stride. He is probably over-striding, a very common fault, or at least running inefficiently.
The three ways to plant the foot while running are: heel to ball, flat-footed, and ball to heel. The ball-to-heel plant is basically running on the toes, as sprinters do, and is out of place in distance running. It is less efficient for a runner because it requires more energy and puts additional strain on the calf muscles. Most great runners use either the heel-to-ball or the flat-footed stride. Runners should experiment to see which is most comfortable for them. The flat style involves landing flat-footed and rocking forward; the heel-to-ball style lands in the area of the heel of the foot and rolls forward, pushing off with the toes.
Three of the items discussed (stride length, body mechanics, and body posture) are worth repeating. Stride length is important because it, combined with stride cadence and economy of energy, determines in part how soon the race will be finished. The "long, beautiful stride" is often a disadvantage because it acts as a brake when the foot lands ahead of the center of gravity.
Also, it requires more energy because it lifts and drops the body with every stride. Over-striding is the most common fault of high school distance runners. A short, economical, quick stride is better and more efficient.
Body mechanics are important because improper mechanics create a much greater energy drain. The body should be moved as efficiently as possible so the energy saved by good mechanics can be diverted to faster running. Posture is also critical to efficiency. If the mechanical and postural advantages are ignored, two advantages of the upright running posture remain:
● The body can take more air into the lungs because the upright trunk allows the lungs more space in the body cavity.
● The knees can be lifted higher, allowing the runner to swing the legs more freely and easily while running.
Pace Judgment
Pace judgment is a critical ability of the champion runner. The most efficient way to run a race is with even pacing. Pace judgment is not inherent---it is learned. Once it is acquired, the athlete can plan the race more easily and can better utilize his strengths. The significant thing is that pace judgment is one of the weapons with which an athlete is armed. The athlete knows what his pace is and deviates from it only as a weapon.
Poor races result from an inability to judge pace. By running too fast in the early stages of races, athletes build up an oxygen debt that they cannot repay without slowing down greatly. Practice perfects rhythm at any pace. A person can be strong of wind and heart and in good condition, but not have practiced pace work long enough to establish his rhythm.
To start teaching pace to our runners, we put a small stake in the middle of each straight and each turn of the track, dividing the track into four 100m segments. The runners are shown a pace card with the 400-, 200-, and 100-meter splits for 1600m times of 4:32, 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, and 8:00, which is illustrated in Table 7-1.
Practice consists of watching a large pace clock
and jogging into a paced 100m when the second hand reaches any of the
quarter-circle points: 0, 15, 30, or 45 seconds. Men try to reach the 100m mark
in 20 to 25 seconds (25 to 30 seconds for women), then walk or jog a 100m, and
repeat the paced run until they have run ten 100s. It is interesting how many
men run at a pace faster than a four-minute mile on the first 100m, but
reassuring to see how soon pain teaches the first lesson of 20 to 25 seconds per
100. When the runners can do this, we drop down to the five-minute 1600 pace for
men (or six-minute pace for women) and increase the distances to a 200, a 300,
or even a 400m.
It is doubtful that any runner can be dead sure of the pace. Our runners have a margin of error of 2 seconds per 400m in the 1500, mile and 5,000 meters, and of 1 second per 400m in the 800 meters. Table 7-2 is an example of a pace chart for men.
It is doubtful that any runner can be dead sure of the pace. Our runners have a margin of error of 2 seconds per 400m in the 1500, mile and 5,000 meters, and of 1 second per 400m in the 800 meters. Table 7-2 is an example of a pace chart for men.
In practicing pace, we not only expect errors in
judgment, but we permit runners to be off a bit, as long as they remain within
allowable limits. We expect the margin to appear in any of the segments of the
race, but we do not want a big deviation, for example, in the third or fourth
quarter of the race. If a male runner is trying for 1:56 in the 800m and he hits
28 and 29 for a 57 at the 400m, that is acceptable. If he then rests with a
32, he is running like a beginner and either is not capable of running a 1:56 or
has not yet found the courage to pour it on and make his own race.
It is frustrating to see a well-conditioned good judge of pace hold back and save something for the last 100 meters against a competitor who is known to have a better kick. If the other athlete is going to win, make him earn it. Through pace judgment, the weapons for the slower, stronger athlete are either to build a lead that a sprinter cannot overcome, or force the opponent into a pace that will remove his kick.
It is frustrating to see a well-conditioned good judge of pace hold back and save something for the last 100 meters against a competitor who is known to have a better kick. If the other athlete is going to win, make him earn it. Through pace judgment, the weapons for the slower, stronger athlete are either to build a lead that a sprinter cannot overcome, or force the opponent into a pace that will remove his kick.
Timing
Intervals
Eugene, Oregon, is a distance man's paradise, with the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic track fans in the world. We probably have more stopwatches per capita than any city in the world. With all these watches available, how do we time intervals? We use a large clock. With a squad of 60 or more men in 17 events, it is impossible to spend an hour with each man or be with every event every day. It is also expensive to turn a watch over to a runner or a group of runners, so we use our clock.
Our clock is homemade. We took a piece of sheet tin three feet square, cut a round hole which was two inches in diameter in the middle, and painted the face black. A ruler compass was used to layout the major sixty points of a circle with a three-foot diameter. Each fifth or five-second mark was painted yellow, and the other four points were painted smaller and white. We now had a three-foot clock face.
Our original clock was "begged" from a drugstore. We made a second hand, which was three feet long and painted one half black and the other half yellow. We then mounted it on the "axle" of the clock and carefully counterbalanced it so that the small motor could make it go steadily. Our clock can be used anywhere that we have an electrical outlet, and when mounted above the ground, it is visible clearly from all points around the track.
Eugene, Oregon, is a distance man's paradise, with the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic track fans in the world. We probably have more stopwatches per capita than any city in the world. With all these watches available, how do we time intervals? We use a large clock. With a squad of 60 or more men in 17 events, it is impossible to spend an hour with each man or be with every event every day. It is also expensive to turn a watch over to a runner or a group of runners, so we use our clock.
Our clock is homemade. We took a piece of sheet tin three feet square, cut a round hole which was two inches in diameter in the middle, and painted the face black. A ruler compass was used to layout the major sixty points of a circle with a three-foot diameter. Each fifth or five-second mark was painted yellow, and the other four points were painted smaller and white. We now had a three-foot clock face.
Our original clock was "begged" from a drugstore. We made a second hand, which was three feet long and painted one half black and the other half yellow. We then mounted it on the "axle" of the clock and carefully counterbalanced it so that the small motor could make it go steadily. Our clock can be used anywhere that we have an electrical outlet, and when mounted above the ground, it is visible clearly from all points around the track.
Vandals have occasionally disabled our clock,
since it is left outdoors. It would be easy to say, "If they're going to act
that way, we will not leave our equipment out." Because of a few troublemakers,
60 or more people who want to participate may be denied a facility. For this
reason, we try to keep our clock and some of our other equipment out and
available for anyone's use. As Ray Hendrickson has said, "The real test of a
facility is that it is being used."
Workout Sheets The chart form of workout sheets that we use (Sheet 6-1) developed from necessity. These charts were mimeographed, together with a weekly training calendar. The coach then had to refer to each exercise only by its number. For example, if he wanted the runners to run 8 x 440 yards in 70 to 73 seconds, he wrote 8 x 5E1. A fartlek assignment was 2 (this was pre-Lydiard). Thus, the
coach can communicate with his athletes "by the numbers."
The charts are updated every year, so slight
variations can be found from year to year. As an example of how we record the
workouts, Sheet 6-2 shows a copy of the February 1960 workouts of Jim Grelle,
who made the U.S. Olympic Team that year, running 4:00.1 in the mile. In 1966,
he ran a 3:55.4 mile and an 8:25.2 2-mile as a 30-year-old veteran. As an
example, note his workout on the tenth of that month. He warmed up, then ran
4 x 440 yards in 64 seconds.
The workout record saves much of this space. The
records are retained, with some of them going back to the late 1940s. The coach
is then able to compare the progress of one miler against his previous progress
or that of any of his predecessors, giving a more concrete comparison of the
runner's current progress. We believe that it is the quickest way to communicate
with our runners.
The General Training Patterns
The Annual
Cycle At Oregon, a master plan is developed for each three-month period.
The early training during October, November, and December consists of
conditioning, cross country and testing. The pre-track and long distance
training in January, February, and March stresses fundamentals and increasing
strength. During the competitive season (April, May, and June), all efforts are
directed toward keeping the athletes in top physical and psychological
condition.
The volume of work is rather modest at the start of a training period. It builds up as the year progresses, reaches a peak just before the competitive season, and then is somewhat reduced as the weekly competition demands maximum energy and attention. During all the seasons, the schedules generally follow a pattern of a hard day (one to two hours of work) followed by an easy day (about 30 minutes of work).
During the early season, group assignments are made to the runners. During the competitive season, each person has a separate workout sheet on which his workouts are written for one week at a time. An example of the rough progression of training throughout the year for a male miler who can already run in the 4:00 range is shown in Table 7-3. The pace given is for a 440-yard
interval, the volume is the workout mileage in terms of the number of times the racing distance ("2" for a miler would be two miles), and the rest interval is proportionate to the interval being run. If the athlete is running 440s and the interval is 1/2, the rest interval is 220 yards of walking or jogging.
The volume of work is rather modest at the start of a training period. It builds up as the year progresses, reaches a peak just before the competitive season, and then is somewhat reduced as the weekly competition demands maximum energy and attention. During all the seasons, the schedules generally follow a pattern of a hard day (one to two hours of work) followed by an easy day (about 30 minutes of work).
During the early season, group assignments are made to the runners. During the competitive season, each person has a separate workout sheet on which his workouts are written for one week at a time. An example of the rough progression of training throughout the year for a male miler who can already run in the 4:00 range is shown in Table 7-3. The pace given is for a 440-yard
interval, the volume is the workout mileage in terms of the number of times the racing distance ("2" for a miler would be two miles), and the rest interval is proportionate to the interval being run. If the athlete is running 440s and the interval is 1/2, the rest interval is 220 yards of walking or jogging.
This general workout pattern can be adapted to the
individual runner in both pace and volume. The goal pace (60 seconds per lap) is
scheduled for May, so time adjustments can easily be made. For a woman with a
goal of 5:00 for 1600m, the May pace for 400m is 75, which is 15 seconds more
than the 60 pace in the table. Thus, all of the 400m paces are increased by 15
seconds, starting with 90 seconds in October, dropping to 85 seconds in
November, and so forth.
Above all, the runners must have variety. The pleasurable variety offered by fartlek, the discipline of interval training, some special speed work, and regular exercises all increase the runner's strength. The runner needs a bit of almost everything, including a balanced training diet, both for overall improvement and for the prevention of the boredom that is sometimes called "staleness:'
Above all, the runners must have variety. The pleasurable variety offered by fartlek, the discipline of interval training, some special speed work, and regular exercises all increase the runner's strength. The runner needs a bit of almost everything, including a balanced training diet, both for overall improvement and for the prevention of the boredom that is sometimes called "staleness:'
Date pace and goal pace need to be defined at this
point. Date pace (DP) is the actual pace at which the runners are clocked in a
test effort or time trial that they try to run 3/4 effort. This figure is
usually expressed as their pace for 400m. If the runner can already run 4:24 for
1600m, the DP is 66. After the next test effort, the DP is adjusted to reflect
the runner's improvement. We try to get the runner to improve by 1 second
per 400m during each training period (two to three weeks).
Goal pace (GP) is the 400m pace that the runner wants to run at the peak of the season. If the athlete wants to run a 4:08 for 1600, the GP is 62. If the goal is 5:24 for the 1600, the GP is 81.
The 10-day, 14-day, and 21-day schedules are named for the times that their training cycle requires at a set pace. Each pattern concludes with a test effort. The test effort, often marked simply as "test," is a time trial run at 3/4 effort. It is not an all-out effort.
Goal pace (GP) is the 400m pace that the runner wants to run at the peak of the season. If the athlete wants to run a 4:08 for 1600, the GP is 62. If the goal is 5:24 for the 1600, the GP is 81.
The 10-day, 14-day, and 21-day schedules are named for the times that their training cycle requires at a set pace. Each pattern concludes with a test effort. The test effort, often marked simply as "test," is a time trial run at 3/4 effort. It is not an all-out effort.
The Running Patterns
The athletes' schedules should be tailored to fit their needs, ambitions, and goals. These schedules are a mixture of training methods that we have tried and found helpful. The first pattern was a seven-day pattern. It was developed years ago simply as a way to plan ahead where to put the training emphasis for a given period. At that time, most runners did not begin regular training until
the first of January or February, and they did not train or compete with any regularity after mid-June. The pattern, based on the hard-easy sequence, is shown in Table 7-4.
You will notice that this schedule throws two hard
days, Sunday and Monday, together. In applying the principle of hard-easy, or
heavy-light, training, it is important to recall that every person is different.
Some runners benefit from the two heavy days, but others need to make Sunday a
light or rest day also.
The idea of the 10-day pattern came from Sweden.
It fits the progress of conditioning, testing, and preparation better than the
one that most of us are forced into by the Gregorian and school calendars of
seven days to a week, which usually puts us into a 14-day training period. A
10-day schedule is shown in Table 7-5.
This schedule points out another principle:
Usually, the athlete should have at least two days of light training before a
hard test effort or a competition. Our school calendar being what it is, we must
use the 14-day training pattern. This two-week pattern also brings up our strong
belief that runners compete best if their major efforts are at least two weeks
apart.
Major meets may have trials and final races over a period of two, three, or even four days. We plan and train for such situations with the individual runner. The basic two-week pattern calls for alternating days of heavy and light training, beginning with a hard day on the first Sunday and including two light days, the second Thursday and Friday, before the competition or test effort on the second Saturday. The specific 14-day pattern that we follow is shown in Table 7-6.
Major meets may have trials and final races over a period of two, three, or even four days. We plan and train for such situations with the individual runner. The basic two-week pattern calls for alternating days of heavy and light training, beginning with a hard day on the first Sunday and including two light days, the second Thursday and Friday, before the competition or test effort on the second Saturday. The specific 14-day pattern that we follow is shown in Table 7-6.
Some of the preceding words will be clearer if we elaborate a bit. Over-distance work is understandable. Goal refers to intervals run at the goal pace. The athlete runs intervals totaling the racing distance at that pace. For example, a 1600 runner with a goal pace of 60 seconds per 400 would run 4 x 400m in 60 seconds. Each as the "goal" part of the workout; perhaps run a set of 600-, 400-, 300-, 200-, and too-meter intervals all at that pace; or run any other combination totaling 1600 meters.
Date refers to intervals run at the date pace. If
a runner is at 5:20 in the date pace, he might next run 1600 to 3200 meters of
intervals on a pace of 80 seconds per 400 meters. The workout would conclude
with some fartlek.
Sprints consist of a small number of fast, short
intervals. They are followed by a moderate to heavy amount of fartlek. The
workout is concluded with increasingly fast, short intervals, or cut-downs. These
cut-downs are usually 100s run at a pace that gradually quickens, such as 4x
100m, one each in 16, 15, 14, and 13 seconds.
The over-distance or under-distance in the schedule for the first Saturday refers to a test effort at either a longer or shorter distance than the usual racing distance. For example, 1600m runners might run 800m, or they might run 3000 or 5000m. The workout for the second Thursday consists of a small number of short, quick sprints, followed by a moderate, but not heavy, fartlek workout. The final day is a test effort conducted at the date pace.
The 21-day pattern combines two 10-day patterns, with a day of rest tossed in at a convenient spot. Most of our training before the meets begin is just this type of pattern. The schedule progresses as shown in Table 7-7.
The over-distance or under-distance in the schedule for the first Saturday refers to a test effort at either a longer or shorter distance than the usual racing distance. For example, 1600m runners might run 800m, or they might run 3000 or 5000m. The workout for the second Thursday consists of a small number of short, quick sprints, followed by a moderate, but not heavy, fartlek workout. The final day is a test effort conducted at the date pace.
The 21-day pattern combines two 10-day patterns, with a day of rest tossed in at a convenient spot. Most of our training before the meets begin is just this type of pattern. The schedule progresses as shown in Table 7-7.
Rhythm is simply the opposite of lack of rhythm;
it is not a pace. Tempo is similar to rhythm, but we use it as an action-an
exercise in which the hands are held about six inches apart and swung quickly
back and forth across the chest as a break in the monotony of running, a
breather or a wake-up exercise.
Speed is the same thing as the short sprints that are done as speed work. We might do 4 x 50m fast sprints, or one or two 150s with the middle 50m extremely fast. Fewer intervals of this type should be used because the risk of injury is high.
Speed is the same thing as the short sprints that are done as speed work. We might do 4 x 50m fast sprints, or one or two 150s with the middle 50m extremely fast. Fewer intervals of this type should be used because the risk of injury is high.
Trials and
What They Mean
We use test efforts or time trials to assess the runners' progress at different points throughout the year. However, our trials are not all-out efforts. Our trials are similar to the system of trials used by Arthur Lydiard, 3/4-effort trials in which the runner tries to achieve a predetermined time (the date pace) by running an evenly paced race.
For example, if a female athlete ran 4:56 for 1600m in her trial three weeks ago, her present goal (date pace) would probably be 4:52 (73 pace). Actually, to avoid trying to push her along too fast, we average several times to get her new goal. We add twice her previous trial time to her new tentative goal (4:52) and divide by three, yielding a more accurate goal for her new pace (4:54)
She runs her trial as closely as possible to an even pace (73.5,2:27,3:50.5), following the suggested limits of variance in Table 7-2. Her run is a controlled effort in which she knows she could have run faster and in which she kicks or runs under her date pace only in the last quarter or less of her racing distance. The race thus shows how far she has progressed toward her goal, while giving her practice in the most efficient way of running her race: even pace.
We use test efforts or time trials to assess the runners' progress at different points throughout the year. However, our trials are not all-out efforts. Our trials are similar to the system of trials used by Arthur Lydiard, 3/4-effort trials in which the runner tries to achieve a predetermined time (the date pace) by running an evenly paced race.
For example, if a female athlete ran 4:56 for 1600m in her trial three weeks ago, her present goal (date pace) would probably be 4:52 (73 pace). Actually, to avoid trying to push her along too fast, we average several times to get her new goal. We add twice her previous trial time to her new tentative goal (4:52) and divide by three, yielding a more accurate goal for her new pace (4:54)
She runs her trial as closely as possible to an even pace (73.5,2:27,3:50.5), following the suggested limits of variance in Table 7-2. Her run is a controlled effort in which she knows she could have run faster and in which she kicks or runs under her date pace only in the last quarter or less of her racing distance. The race thus shows how far she has progressed toward her goal, while giving her practice in the most efficient way of running her race: even pace.
Setting Goals
Each individual should have a goal, and for a good runner, the goal should be high. If a young man was a 4:28 high school miler, we sit down with him and ask, "How fast do you want to run next year?" Too many freshmen say, "Four minutes." That is a good goal, but we want to know what to aim for during the immediately coming year. After all, 4:28 is only four times 67 seconds.
Assume that 4:16 is a reasonable goal for this 18- or 19-year-old freshman. Also assume that if he is capable of better than 4:16, he will be helped as far as his ability will carry him; and if he falters somewhere in his progress toward 4:16, his schedule will be adjusted to the slower time of 4:20 or 4:24 or possibly 4:28, which may be as fast as he will ever run.
Each individual should have a goal, and for a good runner, the goal should be high. If a young man was a 4:28 high school miler, we sit down with him and ask, "How fast do you want to run next year?" Too many freshmen say, "Four minutes." That is a good goal, but we want to know what to aim for during the immediately coming year. After all, 4:28 is only four times 67 seconds.
Assume that 4:16 is a reasonable goal for this 18- or 19-year-old freshman. Also assume that if he is capable of better than 4:16, he will be helped as far as his ability will carry him; and if he falters somewhere in his progress toward 4:16, his schedule will be adjusted to the slower time of 4:20 or 4:24 or possibly 4:28, which may be as fast as he will ever run.
Each runner should have a goal. It should be a
challenging goal, but it should be realistic. We want our runners to make steady
progress year after year, rather than progress rapidly one year, only to
stagnate or regress during the next several years. Now that you have the
rudiments of our distance training system, the next several chapters will get
down to the specific training for the
individual middle distance and distance races.
individual middle distance and distance races.
Training Methods
The basic
training methods were discussed earlier. The Oregon version of interval training
includes ideas from Franz Stampfl, Billy Hayes, Woldemar Gerschler, and Mihaly
Igloi, to name a few. We try to fit the workout to the individual. Some athletes
can handle more work than others. Some show more improvement on intervals, and
others on fartlek. The two are combined with a little speed work until we learn
what kind of fertilizer makes our flowers grow best.
Interval Training
For interval training, one to two-and-a-half times the racing distance, preceded by a warm-up and followed by some fartlek or speed work, is a heavy workout. Experience shows that one quarter of the racing distance is the ideal distance for practicing intervals for shorter races. Distances shorter and longer than the quarter distance are used, and the intensity is increased by reducing the rest or recovery intervals.
A male runner working toward a 4:40 1600m would run 4-12 x 400m in 70 seconds each, while a female trying to run 5:40 would run 4-12 x 400m in 85 seconds each. For variety, they might run some 200s at a slightly faster pace or some 600s at a slightly slower pace. The total distance covered during a workout would be one to three times the racing distance, or one to three miles (1600 to 5,000m) total (we prefer not to go over three miles of intervals). Their full rest would be an equal interval. If they want the workout to be a bit more intense, they shorten the rest interval to 200m or even 100m after running each fast 400.
Experience suggests that you gain nothing by training ahead of pace (such as a 4:40 1600 runner training at a 65- or 60-second pace for 400m). The runner will reach higher goals by getting in a greater volume of work than by trying to carry too fast a pace and not completing the workout. How many freshmen males have said, "But I can run faster than 75s (or 70s). I can run 10x400m in 64 seconds:'
The answer should be a question: "But can you run a mile in 4:16?" The courage of the young athlete who wants to try is admirable, but after he tries and finds himself wanting, we question his judgment if he will not turn himself over to his coach.
There are five variables involved in interval
training:
● Duration of the effort (the length or time run)
● Intensity of the effort (speed of the run)
● Number of repetitions
● Duration of the recovery (length of the rest intervals)
● Nature of the recovery interval (jogging, walking, or complete rest)
● Duration of the effort (the length or time run)
● Intensity of the effort (speed of the run)
● Number of repetitions
● Duration of the recovery (length of the rest intervals)
● Nature of the recovery interval (jogging, walking, or complete rest)
Repetition Running Repetition running is a useful variant of interval training. While interval training technically includes only short runs (not over 600m) with only partial recovery between each run, repetition running involves longer intervals run at a slower pace, usually with long or complete rest between each run, allowing complete or near-complete recovery. Repetition running is done less often than interval
training, but it is still very useful to the overall training pattern.
Fartlek
Gosta Holmer of Sweden is generally recognized as the man who introduced his fartlek, or "speed play," training to running. We are indebted to him for the ideas of "Holmer-type" fartlek. How does an athlete train with Holmer fartlek? All the elements of a race are interspersed with periods of rest or partial recuperation. The length of the training session depends upon the amount of
time available and the energy of the runner.
Assume that a period of 30 minutes, 45 minutes, an hour, or even longer will be used. Begin by having the runner jog slowly at a pace of seven to eight minutes per mile for two or three miles. This 15 or 20 minutes is for warming up, to bring the cardiovascular and respiratory systems into a condition of readiness for hard work. Then, have the runner pick up to what feels like race pace and carry it for 400m, 600m, 800m, or however far until a sense of fatigue is felt. Then, without letting him rest, have him sprint for 50 to 150m until it begins to "hurt:' This work is followed by a very slow jog or a walk to recover. Next comes a series of short sprints of perhaps 50m, alternating sprinting and walking that distance until it is quite an effort, then recovering with another jog or walk.
Now have him imagine that it is a race. The athlete will stride at racing pace up to the shoulder of an imaginary opponent, pass with a quick burst, then settle into racing pace for 200 to 400m, followed by a recuperative jog or walk. Have another imaginary race, this time with his opponent on his shoulder. The athlete should accelerate enough to hold off a challenge or series of challenges, and then finish with another walking or jogging rest. Anything that can happen or be imagined in a race can be practiced in Holmer's fartlek. Fartlek is a personal, not a group, "tool:'
Where should a runner practice fartlek? Soft surfaces are best. Holmer suggests the woods and fields. Runners might use the local golf courses. However, you should get written permission to use the courses from the president and board of each course every year. The ground rules for the
runners are simple:
● Always stay on the outside of a fairway and "run with the grain" or direction of play.
● Do not cut across a fairway.
● Go behind the tees and around the greens.
● If a player is addressing a ball, stop until it is hit.
Gosta Holmer of Sweden is generally recognized as the man who introduced his fartlek, or "speed play," training to running. We are indebted to him for the ideas of "Holmer-type" fartlek. How does an athlete train with Holmer fartlek? All the elements of a race are interspersed with periods of rest or partial recuperation. The length of the training session depends upon the amount of
time available and the energy of the runner.
Assume that a period of 30 minutes, 45 minutes, an hour, or even longer will be used. Begin by having the runner jog slowly at a pace of seven to eight minutes per mile for two or three miles. This 15 or 20 minutes is for warming up, to bring the cardiovascular and respiratory systems into a condition of readiness for hard work. Then, have the runner pick up to what feels like race pace and carry it for 400m, 600m, 800m, or however far until a sense of fatigue is felt. Then, without letting him rest, have him sprint for 50 to 150m until it begins to "hurt:' This work is followed by a very slow jog or a walk to recover. Next comes a series of short sprints of perhaps 50m, alternating sprinting and walking that distance until it is quite an effort, then recovering with another jog or walk.
Now have him imagine that it is a race. The athlete will stride at racing pace up to the shoulder of an imaginary opponent, pass with a quick burst, then settle into racing pace for 200 to 400m, followed by a recuperative jog or walk. Have another imaginary race, this time with his opponent on his shoulder. The athlete should accelerate enough to hold off a challenge or series of challenges, and then finish with another walking or jogging rest. Anything that can happen or be imagined in a race can be practiced in Holmer's fartlek. Fartlek is a personal, not a group, "tool:'
Where should a runner practice fartlek? Soft surfaces are best. Holmer suggests the woods and fields. Runners might use the local golf courses. However, you should get written permission to use the courses from the president and board of each course every year. The ground rules for the
runners are simple:
● Always stay on the outside of a fairway and "run with the grain" or direction of play.
● Do not cut across a fairway.
● Go behind the tees and around the greens.
● If a player is addressing a ball, stop until it is hit.
The second type of fartlek is "Lydiard fartlek" Lydiard also uses variations of the speed play. However, to differentiate between what we want our runners to do, we call the steady running "Lydiard fartlek," even though it is not really fartlek. We agree with Lydiard that no runner is ready to start training until he can run steadily without stopping for 45 minutes to one hour. How does a runner reach that stage? He should wear a watch and start at an 8- to 10-minute-per-mile pace (60 to 75 seconds per 200m), head down the street for 10 minutes, and then return, all at that same pace. Add time gradually until he can go out for 30 minutes and then return, a total of one hour. Then, he is ready to go on a schedule.
We continue to use Lydiard's slow, steady running fartlek and Holmer's speed play throughout the year, following the principles which each of them suggested. Holmer said, "You should finish the workout feeling exhilarated, not exhausted:' Lydiard said, 'You should train, not strain:' Both men produced champions and world-record holders.
Steady-paced running is also very valuable. Runners are not ready to start training until they can run steadily without stopping for 45 to 60 minutes. How does a runner reach that stage? The runner wears a watch and starts at 8 to 10 minutes per mile (60 to 75 seconds per 200m), heads down the street for 10 minutes, then returns, all at that same pace. The runner adds time gradually until he can go out for 30 minutes and return, a total of one hour. Then, the runner is ready to begin a distance-training schedule.
Overdistance and Road Training
Overdistance training is essential to a balanced program of training for the distance races. This training consists simply of long runs, usually at a steady pace. As for what constitutes a "long" run, it depends to some extent on the athlete's normal racing distance. To most 800m runners, a 6- or 8-mile (10 to 12 km.) run is a long distance, but for a 5- or 10-km racer, it is not long at all.
Generally speaking, a long run would be any distance over 10 kilometers. The longest distance any of our runners uses with any regularity is 14 to 16 miles (23 to 26 km), though some older marathon runners occasionally run as far as 30 miles (50 km) in a long training session.
We have a series of loops or training courses laid out around the town and surrounding countryside. These loops are almost entirely on roads, as a matter of simple necessity: The Willamette Valley is a bit damp for six or eight months a year. Our shortest loop is a three-mile (5 km) loop through Hendricks Park on a low ridge near campus, and our longest loop (16 miles/26 km) wanders around nearby Spencer's Butte, a small mountain south of town. A much longer course runs up the McKenzie River, but it is used only on rare occasions. Local training loops should include both easy and difficult terrain, depending upon what the training program needs.
Arthur Lydiard suggested a period of training that he termed "marathon training:' Thus, his recommendation of a minimum of 100 miles a week is considered something of a sacred rite for any runner who wishes to be successful. In the first place, that training period was no more than 15 percent of his suggested annual cycle. In the second place, we don't consider that much mileage to be entirely necessary. The purpose of the heavy mileage was to lay an endurance basis for the later speed work and races. We are not entirely convinced that runs of more than 10 miles (16 km) at a time are necessary to successful running. We definitely do not believe that over 70 or 80 miles (110 to 130 km) a week are needed for success on the international level.
One cardinal principle should never be forgotten: Variety is the spice of life. Every runner needs variety, if for no other reason than to prevent mental staleness. The system must always recognize that individuals are different. Schedules are only guides. Just as a balanced diet makes for a healthier, happier person, so does a varied and balanced training schedule make for a more efficient, eager runner. A continuous, non-varied schedule usually makes an automatic, unimaginative runner.
No comments:
Post a Comment